Grace Like Rain
by Hoonah
Summary: Artemis and Butler go to Jillian, New York, to work on a project with another child genius. Butler becomes smitten by Leah's bodyguard, who leads Butler to a wonderful power, but one that blocks the fairies from his life completely!
1. The beginning of distractions

Okay...this is not my story...I am posting it for a friend. It was began on Artemis Fowl Confidential Forums and I will be posting new chapters here as she writes them.

Title: Girl's Got Game  
Author: Raspberry Fog  
Rating:PG  
Pairings: Butler/OFC  
Warnings: None  
Mary-Sue Warning: Low  
Slash Warning: None  
Fandom: Artemis Fowl  
Status: Chaptered, WIP, 10 of ?  
DISCLAIMER: ARTEMIS FOWL AND ALL RELATED… stuff… BELONG TO EOIN COLFER. ONLY LEAH PURDUE AND AERIEL BIDIKOV BELONG TO ME. 3 Raspberry Fog 

.xxChapter One.xx. The Beginning of Distraction

The rented Land Rover pulled drove up the smooth driveway, heading for a huge, almost castle like, house, surrounded by woods. The driveway was lined with apple trees, in full blossom. A few of the white petals landed on the windshield, and Butler used the windshield wipers to scoot them away. They were a distraction, they could cause a wreck.

A saying came to Artemis's mind. As American as apple pie, which isn't really true in the first place. Apple pie was European to begin with. Artemis sighed. The last time he was in America, Butler had died, sort of, and Artemis had come too close for comfort. The SUV pulled up to the huge wooden doors, and they climbed out.

"I wish you would've let me drive, Butler," complained Artemis. "I've had my licsense for almost two years now." "I don't know, Artemis," said Butler, doubtfully. "I've had my licsense for much longer, and even I had a problem driving today. New Yorkers drive like mad men."

The climbed the two or three stone steps to the huge doors. Just before Artemis reached to ring the bell, the door was opened by a tall slender woman. She had long brown hair, tucked into a neat braid, and was wearing blue jeans and a black baby-tee that said "SECURITY" in big yellow letters. 

"Hello," she said, cheerfully. "You must be the Fowl boy we've been expecting. Leah has been talking non-stop." She had a slight Russian accent, and a small gun strapped to her hip. Artemis shivered, but Butler treated it as if he saw it everyday. Which, in his line of work, you probably do. Artemis shook it off and asked "Leah? You mean, Leah Purdue? Ah, then you must be-…" "Aeriel Bidikov, I'm her… bodyguard." She said it as if she she were something else.

A girl's voice sounded from the top of the staircase. "Aeriel! Aeriel, I've lost my glasses, again!" A body to fit the voice appeared. She ran straight into the banister, and then squinted. "That's him? Isn't he a little… big?" she said, with a New York accent. She was pointing directly at Butler. Artemis chuckled, Aeriel laughed at loud, and Butler looked slightly uncomfortable. "Miss Purdue, your glasses are on the computer desk where you left them.. You go find them while I show our guests to the parlor."

Leah nodded, and raced off, bumping into a wall on her way. Aeriel nodded at them, and said "This way. Leah will join us shortly. Poor thing. She's so forgetful. But, you know, it's her fault she wears the glasses."

Artemis cocked an eyebrow. "Really? How?" Aeriel shook her head. "Partly because she is always on a computer. The rest she'll talk to about later. I'm not permitted to talk about it."

The parlor was a pleasant room. There was a small couch, some book cases, an antique looking lamp, and a bowl of peppermints. Aeriel popped a mint in her mouth. "Leah is quite excited about this project. It has some bugs to work out, but that's why we contacted you."

She sat in a comfortable looking armchair. Butler and Artemis took a seat on the couch opposite to it. "What kind of project is it, Miss Bidikov?" asked Artemis. Aeriel held a slender finger to her lips. "I'm not supposed to tell. Yet. Leah wants to show you, tomorrow, after you rest and are aquainted with the manor." "That's very considerate of you," Artemis murmured. He realy wanted to know about this project. "We'll fetch your luggage from the car later," Aeriel said, glancing at the door. "Where is that girl?" 

The blond-headed girl came into sight, wearing a pair of square, black rimmed glasses framing her huge blue eyes. She looked very young, a lot younger than Artemis expected. He guessed about twelve years old. Amazing, thought Artemis. She must be a genius like me to have figured out such an important plan. If not, I came here for nothing.

Leah smiled. "I simply cannot wait to show you this project, Mister Fowl. You are going to love it." She seemed very proud of herself. Artemis hoped this Amazing Project was worth spending a month in the states.

Okay, slightly pointless chapter. More to come.


	2. Telescoping pasts

**Next Chapter! All the credit for this fic goes to Artysprincess12 of the Artemis Fowl Confidential forums!**

xxXX..Chapter Two..XXxx Telescoping Pasts

Outside Purdue Manor

Butler grabbed Artemis's stuit case, and threw it over his shoulder to bring into the house. Aeriel took it from him though. "I'll take this one, you get your own."

Butler grunted. Aeriel looked doubtful for a moment. "You are going to be staying here for a month. You brought two suitcases? Is that…enough?"

"Artemis expects we will be working a lot. He has a bag of computer equipment and such with him now. He said just one for him and one for me would be enough."

"Looks like I'm going to be washing a lot of laundry," Aeriel said, laughing a little. Butler winked at her. "I'll help." No sooner had the words left his mouth than he regretted them. Aeriel raised her eyebrows slightly and let her head twitch gently to the side. She thought he was flirting with him, and he knew it.

She cleared her throat, and took the suitcase into the house. Inside his head, Butler kicked himself, and then followed her with his suitcase and carry-on.

The kitchen 

Leah was talking Artemis's ears off in the kitchen. "You are simply going to adore Ari's cooking." She pronounced "Ari" like "airy" instead of "are-ee". So, Miss Bidikov allowed Leah to call her by a nickname. Funnt, because Butler wouldn't even let Artemis call him by his first name. Well, some bodyguards were trained differently than Butler was, although Artemis wan't doubting Aeriel's skills. She had a gun strapped to her at all times, so she apparently had some sense.

"She's making barbeque shrimp tonight. Don't worry, though, it's not really "barbeque". It's just shrimp with some kind of sauce and baked. It's delicious. You'll love it." She stopped, realizing Artemis was staring into space and not even listening to her. She tempted him. "I'll try to get her to make a chocolate trifle for dessert. It's got almonds!"

"Butler's allergic," Artemis lied. He didn't know why. Habit, he supposed. A bad habit. "Awww, too bad. She can make it without almonds, though, so don't worry. He can enjoy it, too." "Can I ask you some questions?" Artemis asked suddenly. For once, Leah stopped talking. She looked doubtful. "Sure," she murmured. "Go ahead." "When did Miss Bidikov start gaurding you?"

Leah laughed. "For as long as I can remember. I belive my mother even said something about Ari being my mother's midwife, so I guess… forever. She's been guarding me forever."

"And, where did she get her training?" "What, do be a midwife?" Artemis pursed his lips. "No, bodyguard training."

"Oh! That. I don't know really. I think it's a family buisness. All I know is she spends hours in her little "practice house", she calls it, out in the woods. It's just a little cottage out there, and she goes and… practices, I suppose." 

Silence. Awkward silence. Leah picked at her white blond hair, plaiting it into a little braid framing her face. At least she doesn't suck on her hair like that girl Mother kept trying to… His thoughts trailed off, not wanting to think about the several times his mother had played matchmaker with the local millionairesses.

He wanted to ask her more questions, preferabbly why it was her fault she wore glasses. But, he stood and said "I think Butler is back with the bags. I should probably go and unpack." "Do you even know where they are?"

"Yes," he lied again. This would give him a chance to… explore a little. Leah nodded, and opened the fridge. Artemis turned to leave, but Leah stopped him. "Do you want a pop or something?"

"A pop? Oh, a soda. Eh, no thank you." He said. Leah shrugged, and opened a Cherry Coke.

Aeriel was showing Butler around the manor. It made him kind of homesick, but when she showed him her room, he instantly felt better. Because, it was almost exactly like his. Table off to the side covered in various security equipment and firearms, in different stages of repair and cleaning. Computer on a desk, across from the foot of the bed, with no screen saver. A small (well, his bed was bit bigger.) twin bed, covered with a blue, heavy blanket. No so much decoration on the walls, but the wall beside the computer was covered in blueprints, and a picture in crayon of a little girl with yellow hair holding what seemed to be a very big telescope.

"That's Leah's," said Aeriel, studying the picture. "She drew it for me Christmas 1994, when she was three. She wanted a telescope so badly, I can remember." She pulled down a blueprint from the wall. "I built her one, using these blueprints. She loved it more than the puppy her parents got for her that year." 

There were two bedside tables on either side of the bed. One had a lamp and an alarm clock; the other had a stack of helicopter manuals, and, to Butler's surprise, a huge hardback copy of Douglas Adams' Hitchiker's Guide To The Galaxy. Aeriel didn't seem like the kind of person to be reading that kind of book. There was a book case to the right of the computer desk, and Butler saw that, besides more manuals and boring things like that, there were a lot of sci-fi books.

"You're a science fiction fan?" asked Butler, picking up a copy of a Piers Anthony book. "Yeah," answered Aeriel, sitting in the swivel chair. "It's funny to think that some of the ideas in those books Leah has already thought up." 

"Leah must be a very smart girl, like Artemis." "Oh, yeah," bragged Aeriel. "She's been working on this current project since she was six." "What is it?"

Aeriel smiled. "Oh, I can't tell you yet. But, I guess I should mention we've had some… accidents…testing it. " She rolled up the one of the legs on her jeans to reveal a sprawling scar. "Like this." 

Butler winced. He could show her what had happened with the C-Cube, but he would have to take off his shirt, and then… 

"You're blushing," stated Aeriel. She quickly rolled down her pants leg, thinking that was the reason. "I'm not," Butler said. Aeriel laughed again. "Yes, you are. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-…" "Oh, no it's not that I just… I…" 

A very awkward silence. Aeriel broke the silence. "I should probably show you to your room. And, Artemis to his. You should unpack before dinner. I hope you like sea food."

He didn't mention he wasn't too fond of sea food since the whole En Fin incident.

Much better. I think.-


	3. Faith is Strength

Long time, no update...but this fic is not forgotten! Rasberry Fog has almost finished it...so I will be posting lots more chaps if I don't forget! Also...the name has been changed to Grace like Rain!

xxXX..Chapter Three..XXxx Faith Is Strength

It was a nice dinner. The only time Leah stopped talking was when she had a mouthful of shrimp. They were all seated in the dining room, one bodyguard at either end of the table, Leah and Artemis sitting across from each other in the middle. "This is very good, Miss Bidikov," Artemis stated, placing another one of the delectable shrimp in his mouth. "Thank you," Aeriel said, pleased. "I picked up the recipe when I was stationed in Alabama for a while. A nice lady named Rhonda wrote it down for me."

Artemis nodded, savoring every bite. Aeriel was a very good cook. "Unfortunately, this is about the only thing I can cook very well. Mother and Father were too busy teaching me how to defend my self to teach me to cook." Whoops. She wasn't that good then.

"Tell me about your training," said Butler, eager to know. Aeriel laughed. Butler noticed she laughed a lot. "I'm not sure if you would actually call it 'training'. I received instruction on martial arts from my father, weapons from my grandfather and a very special mixture of yoga and ballet from my mother."

"Ballet?" asked Artemis. Aeriel nodded. "You know football players take some ballet to help them to be graceful, all that jazz. Well, same in my case. The yoga helps me to be calm, and the ballet helps to strengthen my muscles and gain control of my body."

"Interesting," murmured Butler. Ballet? She sure didn't seem like the type. Ballet and sci-fi. Amazing. "I might could teach you a few moves later. You might need them one day. Leah seems to pick up on them quickly," added Aeriel, talking to both Butler and Artemis. Leah beamed. "I'm quite good. I love to practice with Ari. Except, Ari usually practices alone." 

"We've gone over this," said Aeriel, exasperated. "I don't only practice when I 'practice'. I do other things." "Like what?" asked Artemis, intrigued. "Praying. Reading. Thinking. It's really none of your business, if you don't mind."

Artemis backed off. But. Butler didn't. "Praying?" "Yes. I accepted Christ when I was only six. I had to rededicate, though, when I was twenty, because I didn't really understand. But, having God has really helped me. It's given me a sort of strength. Like, I know I can defeat anyone, anything because He's on my side. And, if I can't, oh well. He'll help me through it, and if the price is death… well…" She trailed off, presuming the group knew.

"So, yes, I pray, and do my devotions, and practice hard. It's part of what makes my family's business one of the most successful bodyguard academies in the world. We insist on the members becoming Christians, all though, we don't force them. It is their own decision, but they should know it would help enormously." She looked directly at Butler.

"And, you?" "Me, what?" Butler asked, slightly puzzled. Aeriel hung her head. "I suppose not." "Butler, what?" asked Artemis, insistently. Aeriel looked Butler directly in the eyes. "Are you a Christian?"

Artemis and Butler stared. Leah had her hands folded in her lap, on her napkin, looking down. Aeriel was staring back at them with her gray eyes.

"No," he answered, truthfully. He'd never been exposed to it much, until now. "Me, as well," answered Artemis, looking embarrassed and ashamed for some reason.

"Well," said Aeriel softly. "That's all right then. Just, tell me if you'd like to talk about it sometime." She stood and cleared the dishes. Butler decided to help.

Artemis was in his room, giving his bank account a paranoid check on his laptop. There was a slight knock on the door. Before he gave permission to enter, Leah walked right it. "What're you doing?" she asked, looking at the screen. Artemis slammed the lid shut, hoping he hadn't cracked the crystal. "Nothing that concerns you, little girl. Now, why are you here?" 

Leah smiled. "It's time." She grabbed Artemis by the wrist and dragged him off the four poster bed. She was strong for a puny twelve-year-old.

She led him down the stairs, both in their pajamas, in the dark. Leah was carrying a flashlight, and it cast brief bursts of light on different art pieces and furniture. 

Out to the front step, and down a path around to the back. She was leading him to a garage of some sort. "It's time for you to see the big project."

Butler was on a mission of his own. Ever since dinner time, he had been so curious about what Aeriel had said. The God thing. He put on his jacket, grabbed a flashlight, and set out of the house, about five minutes before Leah came and dragged Artemis out to the garage. He was looking for Aeriel, but she was no where to be found in the enormous manor. He thought for a moment, and it came to him. The cottage. It would take some time to find it, but, Butler was very good at finding things.

He was running around outside now, looking for the telltale light from the cottage. He was out in the woods, and it was November, in New York. Very cold. He could see his breath in front of him, and hoped he would find the cottage soon, before he got lost out here in the woods. Then, there it was! A gentle, yellow light to his left. He walked slowly to it. It was a small cottage, almost like a shed really. He could see a shadow moving behind the curtain.

He went and knocked on the door. The music abruptly stopped, and he could hear a hurried, startled yelp from Aeriel. She opened the door, holding the gun, still attached to belt, in one hand, and a jacket in the other. She put the jacket on quickly, and said "How did you find me?"

"Guess work," answered Butler. Aeriel eyed him suspiciously. She was dressed in her ballet clothes, black leotard, white tights, and a short, swishy skirt. He also noticed the pointe shoes. She looked a bit uncomfortable. She pulled the denim jacket closer.

"I'm sorry," she said. "This is a really bad time for a visit." Butler nodded. "I just wanted to talk about something."

Aeriel looked up sharply. "Really? You mean, the Christian thing?" Butler nodded, relived he didn't have to explain himself. Aeriel gasped and said "Well, come in, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to keep you out in the cold!"

Butler walked in. The cottage was small, but very cozy. An entire wall was covered with a mirror and a log barre. She had a resin box off to one side, and a CD player. There was couch and a bookcase on one wall, and a lamp near the door. The last wall had some exercise equipment and such.

Aeriel raced into a bathroom. "Let me just change into my jeans, I'll be right out." She closed the door behind her and leaned against it. She caught her breath, and slipped a pair of blue jeans and a sweater over her ballet attire. She left the pointe shoes on.

Butler was still standing by the door. Aeriel smiled. "You can sit down, you know. That is what a couch is for, after all."

He sat. She sat. They just sat there in silence until Butler spoke up. "Just, explain to me how one would go about… becoming a Christian." 

Aeriel smiled, leaned back on the couch and told him everything she knew


	4. Adaptation

Next chap! Enjoy!

xxXX..Chapter Four..XXxx Adaptation

Leah punched a complicated looking code of numbers into a small keypad beside the plain looking garage door. The door made a faint buzzing noise, and then a click. "It's open," Leah said. She pushed the door open. It was very dark inside. Leah closed the door behind them, and stumbled around in the dark, looking for the light switch. She found it, and the fluorescent lights above them flickered on.

Artemis looked around, but all he saw was a car, a Mustang GT to be exact. Leah looked very happy. She climbed onto the trunk, and sat there, swinging her legs. "This is it," she yelled. "The project I've spent the past six years of my young life working on!"

Artemis tried very hard to look impressed. "What is it, exactly?" he asked, looking at the car suspiciously. Leah gasped. "It's only the breakthrough of the century in automobile safety, duh!" 

"But what is it?" he asked again. Leah sighed, exasperated. "Well, it's got some kinks to work out, but that's why you're here. This, Artemis Fowl, is the first ever anti-hydroplaning car. Sort of. This one actually works."

"How does it work?" asked Artemis, interested all of a sudden. He ran his hand over the dark blue body of the car. Leah made a satisfactory sighing noise, and hopped down. She pointed at the wheels. "Magnets. The magnets in the wheels can stick to the metal in the ground, even through water, when activated, and stop a car from hydroplaning. In theory. Aeriel and I are trying to think of a way of preventing sliding, with out actually stopping the car."

Artemis sat and thought. "This is going to take some time, Miss Purdue. But, I must say, this is a very good idea, if not exactly sensible." 

"Not sensible? What do you mean, not sensible?" Leah asked, getting the tiniest angry.

"Not everyone would be able to use it, take for instance, people in rural areas, with not enough money to afford it, or not the right kind of roads. We need to adapt this idea, make it better. It might take more than a month."

Leah looked at her car. Then, at Artemis. Then, at her watch. "Good Gravy! It's late." She pushed Artemis out the door. "You need sleep, and so do I. We need to 'adapt' this idea, as you say."

She locked the door, and took off running for the manor. She loved to run. She loved being fast. 

Artemis watched the girl run, white-blond hair in a tangled mess. He laughed, just once, and walked towards the manor.

The next morning

Butler woke up and felt… different somehow. It was 6 am, time to get up anyway. Aeriel was already up and dressed.. 

She was in the kitchen, making herself breakfast. She twitched her lips, waiting for the toast to pop up. Why does toast take so long to make, and when it finally does pop up, you jump? It popped. She was trained though, she didn't jump. She smiled. Well, there's one accomplishment for the day. Butler walked in through the front door, and Leah popped in from the outside entrance.

"There's someone missing," droned Aeriel. Leah looked guilty. "Um… he's making friends with Talula outside."

Aeriel was horrified. "Oh, Leah, you didn't!" She ran out the back door, followed by Butler, who was expecting the worse. What was this "Talula" thing? A crazy relative? A ferocious dog? Well… he was about 1/4 right…

A few minutes earlier

Artemis had lost Leah. Again. Could that girl ever stay in one place? He was out in the yard, near the garage.

He heard some rustling from a nearby rose bush. He looked at it closely, but slowly backed away on instinct. "Hello?" he said. No answer, but there was a snort. Probably just a dog, he thought, and turned to leave.

And that's when about 100 pounds of pig jumped on him.

Now, I'm not sure how much a pig actually ways. I would be forever grateful if someone might could tell me an estimate. Then, I'll change it. Thanks- RF 

Back to where we were before…

Aeriel was up again, trying to perfect some blueprints. Leah's birthday was coming soon, and she needed a new telescope. The one she had had been good, but Leah needed a new one. Aeriel drew a line on the blue paper. "Hmmm," More lines. Leah was going to love this. 

Artemis decided to take this night to explore Leah's house. He grabbed a flashlight from his bag (where did that come from?), and snuck out of his room.

Butler had some blueprints of his own to work on. He figured the kitchen would probably be the best place to work. He gathered up the rolls of blue paper, and some pencils, and went quietly down to the kitchen.

Leah woke up, and realized something. All the fun was someplace else. She hopped out of bed, grabbed her own flashlight, and quietly went out of her bedroom, too.


End file.
